Teens steal booze, assault Safeway worker

Two charged with robbery in Sunnyside

SUNNYSIDE  Two teenagers are in custody this morning facing robbery and assault charges.

Max Cuevas, 19, of 231 Lowry Road, Outlook; and a 17-year-old boy from Mabton are being held in Yakima after allegedly robbing and assaulting a Safeway store employee Wednesday night.

Sunnyside police refused to release the name of the 17-year-old.

Cuevas is charged with second-degree robbery and fourth-degree assault; the Mabton boy is charged with first-degree robbery and second-degree assault, police said.

Officers were dispatched to the Safeway store, 613 S. Sixth St., at 10:15 p.m. Wednesday after a reported assault and robbery, records show.

Cuevas and his accomplice allegedly attempted to steal alcohol from the grocery store when they were confronted by a store employee, records show.

“While the employee was dealing with one suspect, the second hit the victim over the head with a bottle of liquor,” police said, noting the two defendants fled the scene.

Police said they didn’t have the 42-year-old victim’s identity when contacted by the Daily Sun yesterday.

The employee was transported to Sunnyside Community Hospital, where he was treated and released for his injuries, the report said, noting he needed “numerous staples to close the head wound.”

Police searching the area found Cuevas hiding under a car in the 500 block of South Fifth Street, records show.

The Mabton boy was arrested during a traffic stop while he was trying to leave the area.

Cuevas was booked into Yakima County Jail and his accomplice into Yakima County Juvenile Detention Center, police said.

The teenagers were not the only ones arrested for assault late Wednesday night.

Jose Luis Rangel Jr., 37, of 1209 Roosevelt Court, was arrested following an unrelated incident at 11:43 p.m. at Jack in the Box restaurant, 100 W. South Hill Road.

Rangel, who was booked in the Sunnyside City Jail, was arrested on one count each of second-degree criminal trespassing, resisting arrest and fourth-degree assault after allegedly attacking employees and police. He was also charged with two counts of third-degree assault.

Police were dispatched to the restaurant for a complaint about a customer who was “upset” about his order and began throwing things, records show.

Later identified as Rangel, the man also went behind the counter and confronted employees.

“Officers arrived and made contact with Rangel; he would not comply with verbal commands,” a police report said. “After being told he was under arrest, (he) began resisting arrest and fighting with officers.”

An officer used his Taser to subdue Rangel, police said.

But even after his arrest, Rangel continued to struggle with police and refused to get into a patrol car, records show. He allegedly kicked two officers.

“Rangel was transported to Sunnyside Community Hospital, where he was treated and released back to the custody of Sunnyside police,” the arrest report said.